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Specific challenge: Genetic diversity in agriculture and forestry - both within and between species - is commonly recognised as a pre-requisite to ensure food security, productivity as well as resilience of crops, forests and animals vis-à-vis biotic and abiotic threats in changing environments. Widening the genetic basis of crops, forest trees and animals as well as diversifying production is therefore essential. This requires coordinated efforts to enhance conservation, access and use of a wide range of genetic resources conserved in ex-situ and in-situ/on-farm conditions. Local livestock breeds, forest plants and crops are a particularly important source of genetic variation as they are associated with a number of favourable characters such as robustness, adaptation to local – often marginal – conditions or organoleptic and health attributes. They also provide the basis for products with a regional identity for which there is increased consumer interest. Despite these benefits their use has been decreasing partly because of lower productivity as compared to modern, high yielding and more uniform breeds and varieties. The improvement of local breeds and crops provides opportunities for diversification in agriculture along with new openings for regional, high quality products and for economic development.

Proposals should enhance description and evaluation as well as management and performance of local varieties and breeds along with their respective farming and (seed) production systems. Measures deployed should potentially span from research to demonstration and dissemination as well as development of (environmentally and economically) sustainable production schemes. Proposals should have a relevant socio-economic dimension, tap into knowledge from the formal and informal sectors, encourage the creation of networks within and between regions and address the value chain for regional high quality products. Overall, activities should capture more systematically the value of diverse and so far untapped genetic resources and encourage their broader use in breeding activities, in farming and in the food chain. Proposals should address either livestock or crop genetic resources (including from forest trees as relevant in farming activities). Proposals should fall under the concept of 'multi-actor approach'[1] and allow for adequate involvement of the farming sector in proposed activities.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU in the range of EUR 3–4 million for (A) would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected impact: Proposals should show how some, or all, of the following impacts will be achieved:

improved in-situ/on-farm management and evaluation of genetic resources by the farming sector

productivity and economic gains in specialised farming systems from the conventional and organic sectors

economic benefits for farmers, other types of SMEs and regional economies through the expansion or creation of new products and markets

broader adaption of livestock and cultivated plants (crops, forest trees for agriculture/agro-forestry) to limiting or changing agro-climatic conditions, e.g. by enhancing robustness through the use of adaptive traits from landraces and local breeds

enhanced quality and scope of European ex-situ collections and in-situ collections/on-farm management

increased awareness on the value of genetic resources, engagement of end-users and contribution to implementation of international commitments in the area (e.g. International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, ITPGRFA)

more extensive use of genetic resources in agriculture and forestry

overall contribution to food security by supporting innovations in breeding and farming

Type of action: Research and innovation actions

[1] See definition of 'multi-actor approach' in footnote 1 in the introduction of this Work Programme part.